


Storm Clouds Lifting

by 1000PaperCranes



Category: Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Episode: s02e23 The Abduction Part II, Escape, F/M, Fix-It, Gen, Kidnapping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-06
Updated: 2017-02-06
Packaged: 2018-09-22 08:43:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9597431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1000PaperCranes/pseuds/1000PaperCranes
Summary: "I do not want to see my father and all those innocent people die.  Their ghosts will haunt me forever."Walks On Cloud is by no means stupid.Sometimes it just takes him a little while to see past the pain.





	

**Author's Note:**

> If anyone is super sensitive to non-con situations, you might want to steer clear. Nothing like that actually happens and less people get hurt than in canon, but you never know which detail will set someone off. Hmm. This is hard to do without giving the story away. If you managed the episode, you should be fine.

Walks On Cloud had been thinking: this was a lot of trouble to go through for one woman.  For a doctor maybe it was worth it, but the others refused to use her as such.  White men were not always good to their women, but they were _always_ angry when others treated them poorly.  And Medicine Woman was not just one of their women, she was White Tomahawk's woman.  Or would be soon enough.  He was an ally to the Cheyenne, perhaps the staunchest one they had ever had, would ever have.  Walks On Cloud was angry at him, and Medicine Woman, and his father.  Anger did not feed the body.  He may have yet to fully earn his place, but he was a Medicine Man's son and he thought about these things.

He thought about a lot of things.  The size of tree limbs, and how many leaves they had.  Laughing Bird, and whether or not she would tolerate a Crazy Dog.  And he really should have thought of that sooner.  Most importantly, he thought of the retaliation they courted by stealing Medicine Woman.  They could be forgiven easily enough if they had taken her for her skills, but they had not.  One Eye was a fool, dragging her around the hills for his own convoluted whimsy.

Or maybe not so convoluted.

Walks On Cloud pushed his way quickly through the people and teepee's, tripping on a tree root as One Eye cast the bound woman to the ground.  Thinking quickly, he caught the older man before he could further impose on someone who did not want to be touched.  He bartered for Medicine Woman, traded away the claim to his family.  It was worth it.  Claiming his family meant little if they were killed.  Words also meant little, so he told the other men, told One Eye, what he intended to do with the white woman. 

Falling Rain was offended. 

That was alright.  He did not mean it.

Walks On Cloud forced Medicine Woman into the nearest teepee.  The farthest would have been better, but Field Mouse was sleeping.  Medicine Woman begged loudly that Walks On Cloud should not hurt her.  He was not going to. 

She did not know that.

He forced her to the ground.  She screamed.  Walks On Cloud pulled his tanning knife from his waist tie.  When Medicine Woman saw it, she went still, breathing short and sharp and fast between his legs.  She was skinny.  Placing the flat of his blade against her lips, Walks On Cloud hushed Medicine Woman.  When she held her breath, he cut her ties in one quick motion.  Pinning her favored arm to the ground, he returned the flat of the blade to her lips.

" _Is English the only language you know?_ " Walks On Cloud whispered. 

Medicine Woman appeared not to understand him.  Then her mismatched eyes went wide.  He lifted the blade.  " _I know some Latin_ ," she confessed just as quietly.

" _Then shout Some Latin_."  She took a deep breath.  " _Not yet!_ " he hissed.  She looked askance at Walks On Cloud.  " _You are injured.  I will clean you wounds.  One Eye must think it is other things_."  She seemed vacant, again, and Walks On Cloud questioned his English.

" _You're not going to hurt me?_ "

Walks On Cloud rolled his eyes, hard.  White people.  He touched the tip of his knife to the tip of her nose.  " _What do you think?_ "

" _I don't know what to think anymore_."  She did look lost, and frightened.  Frightened people often did not think well.  Walks On Cloud considered.  He searched up the meager supplies of the teepee as he planned.

He bent down, grazing his lips as lightly across hers as he could.  " _Each time I kiss you shout Some Latin_."  Walks On Cloud could see she did not like it, but it would save them talking and keep his hands free.  It still was not hurting her.  He pressed his lips very gently again to her brow.

" _Obicularis orbis!_ "

Walks On Cloud had no idea what Some Latin was.

Neither would anyone else.

Wrestling the skirt from Medicine Woman's body resulted in some very real shrieks.  He only wanted the fabric!  The wordless cries made Walks On Cloud's head hurt.  He leaned down, pushing a kiss to her stomach, harder this time, so she would feel it through yet another layer of cloth.

" _L_ _–latissimus dorsi!_ "  Better.

There was a second cloth on the inside of Medicine Woman's skirt.  It was looked clean and was soft.  Walks On Cloud tore it into long strips.  He soaked a poorly shaped piece with water.

" _What are you doing?_ "  He pinched her for the English and she yelped.

Walks On Cloud knelt astride Medicine Woman again, this time facing her feet.  He set to cleaning the dirt and small stones from her wounds.  She moaned wordlessly in pain, which was convenient, if not annoying.  Medicine Woman was a poor patient.  Even children did not cry when Walks On Cloud tended their injuries.

He kissed the inside of her knee, feather-light once again.  " _Gluteus maximus!_ "  Again.  " _Patella!_ "

And again.  " _Mandibular fossa!_ "

Walks On Cloud wondered what Medicine Woman was saying as he carefully cleaned the blood from between her toes.  He imagined it was like the bits of Kiowa he knew.  Water!  Beetroot!  Foreskin!  Hawk! 

There was a bit of thorn lodged in the crease of Medicine Woman's toenail.  She gave a scream that caused several nearby animals to whimper as he tried to work it free.  It came loose and Walks On Cloud was satisfied.

Not a second later he dropped her foot, nearly braining himself on the ground.  Relief had returned her motor skills very suddenly and she had grabbed beneath his loincloth, causing a substantial amount of pain.  He panted for a moment, groping for his senses beyond the startling fire in his groin.  Medicine Woman's foot was next to his face.  He kissed the arch in supplication.  When she did not release him, he bit it savagely.  She howled but did not let go.  He worried his teeth in the bony mouthful, carefully reaching down to pry her fingers from his screaming flesh.

She finally gave up her grip.

Walks On Cloud moved gingerly to sit at Medicine Woman's feet.  He examined the new marks he had left.  They were not serious.  He cleaned her feet again with a fresh cloth and fresh water, before binding them each in an approximation of moccasins.  It would be better than nothing at any rate.

When Walks On Cloud looked up, Medicine Woman was shivering.  Not good.  He laid down on top of her, arranging their coverings as lewdly as possible.  They would have needed time to recover from other activities, but One Eye was the kind of man to intrude.  Fitting his hand up her blouse, Walks On Cloud felt Medicine Woman's heartbeat and breathing.  Not good.  Her eyes were wide and glassy now.  He breathed a kiss between them.

" _Digitalis purpurea_ ," Medicine Woman slurred.

Walks On Cloud sighed through his nose.  He buried his face in her neck, murmuring into her ear about how the Crow got his caw.

A twig snapped nearby. 

Walks On Cloud stopped his comforting mid-word.  He whispered to Medicine Woman, " _Cry._ "  He did not think grown people could weep on command.  She was already upset.  Not a minute later he felt a tear trickle down her jaw.  Walks On Cloud pretended to be asleep.

Someone was snooping.  When they entered the teepee and did not immediately leave, Walks On Cloud flung his cutting knife at them.  The man yipped, scrambling through the flap.  Outside he laughed and told the other men that Walks On Cloud was resting up for another round.

Pervert.

Walks On Cloud allowed Medicine Woman to recover as long as he could, whispering to her this time about the Old Woman of the Spring. 

Someone told a bawdy story by the campfire.  Walks On Cloud used the laughter to cover the sound as he slashed the buffalo hide and snuck Medicine Woman out the side of the teepee.  They crept away from camp.  At a shallow place in the river, they crossed and ran on the other bank. 

A shot fired in the distance.  Many shots.  One Eye must have discovered them missing.  He was trying to frighten them.

It was working.

They came to a cliff.  Walks On Cloud knew this place.  The water was deep.  " _Can you swim?_ "

" _What?_ "

" _Can you swim?_ " he repeated.

" _Yes_."  She responded automatically, panting with exertion and fear.

He threw her off the cliff.

Walks On Cloud jumped after her, trusting the Great Spirit to keep him from landing on Medicine Woman.  They swam, and walked.  Medicine Woman cried.  Walks On Cloud wanted to, but did not.  They drank from a fruit vine.  They walked.

As the sun rose, they stumbled upon one of White Tomahawk's hiding places, made before he was welcome among the Cheyenne.  There was a piece of flint left there and Walks On Cloud was sorely tempted to make a fire.  He held Medicine Woman to keep her warm and pretended she slept when he closed his eyes to listen to the forest.

Hours passed.  Medicine Woman still had not dried.  She was sweating.  She was unconscious.  Walks On Cloud held her tighter.  There was nothing he could do to protect her from fever.  They would wait for dark and he would find food.  More hours passed.

An animal approached them.  Walks On Cloud was very still and very quiet.  Medicine Woman mumbled in her sleep.

Friend Wolf sniffed into their hiding space.  He whimpered at Medicine Woman, whining unhappily when she did not respond.  Friend Wolf ran off.  He would bring White Tomahawk.

The sun was passed its peak when a Friend Wolf returned.  White Tomahawk froze at the sight of them.  Then he offered Walks On Cloud smoked venison in trade for Medicine Woman. 

Walks On Cloud was hungry.

White Tomahawk carried Medicine Woman easily enough, but she was not a rabbit and they stopped frequently.  White Tomahawk shared his water and Walks On Cloud collected the ingredients for fever tea.  It was late in the afternoon when they reached the horse.  Medicine Woman was groggy, but getting better.  The horse could not carry three.

It probably could.  Walks On Cloud sent them ahead anyway.  He was close enough to the town to ward off the Crazy Dogs. 

He ran anyway.

The village was changed.  Walks On Cloud examined the structure the Army had built.  Its purpose made him nauseous.  What a sad way to die; strung up like coyote bait.  White Tomahawk spoke seriously with Cloud Dancing, holding Medicine Woman tightly to his side.  Probably to keep her standing.  Walks On Cloud was not surprised to see his father pick the woman up and carry her to a small wagon.

Only time healed wounds, but dawdling seldom helped. 

Walks On Cloud skirted the soldiers, heading straight for his father.  The man was shocked to see him.  He dropped whatever was in his hand, fortunately no longer Medicine Woman.  Cloud Dancing grabbed Walks On Cloud by the shoulders.

"You have returned to us?"  The hope in his father's stoic voice was painful.

"Yes.  I…"  There was so much Bad Medicine in this.  Walks On Cloud did not know how to explain.  He searched for words, mouth working silently.  He did what he thought was best.  He was wrong.  One Eye could not be trusted.  Those were not Dog Soldiers, they were greedy thugs.  Walks On Cloud saved Medicine Woman.

"I understand."  Cloud Dancing wiped the smeared war-paint from his son's cheeks.  He touched the place where Walks On Cloud's beads should be.

"I did many things."  He was glad he had not had time to teach the Crazy Dogs to hunt from the tree branches like a cougar.

"I understand," his father said, checking Walks On Cloud for injuries, running his hands over his son's skin and hair.

"I am not sorry."

His father hugged him fiercely.  "I understand." 

Maybe he did.

**Author's Note:**

> So, accepting the preceding levels of astronomical stupidity as necessary to the story, or potentially historically accurate, I could not get past Walks On Cloud's death. Really, the one guy who figures out that their whole plan - indistinct and fly-by-night as it may be - is in the process of backfiring spectacularly, then does THAT. Nope. Not buying it. Let's face it, Dr. Mike would not be really valuable in a dungeon-like adventure game. There is no way anyone thought she could get away on her own. In fact, she's all of forty feet from the camp when they recapture her. Add to that the fact that Walks On Cloud very clearly knew that One Eye was just going to shoot him and then go lady-hunting, what even was the point?
> 
> So, I fixed it, because really, it wasn't that hard.
> 
> I really hope the actor had somewhere better to be, because that would really be an insulting way to get canned.


End file.
